Riding Past the Teton Range

It was great to see those mountains again. To be near them. To ride along them. And later, to hike beside them.

Jake and I approached the Teton Range from the east. We rode toward them, riding west, and they became larger, taller, more in focus. We watched them for hours, watched a storm hover past and drop sheets of grey rain down over the mountains and the land. And we moved along behind the rain clouds, staying mostly dry. The hot road evaporated the rain and added a brief humidity to the air that reminded me of Maryland.

And the mountains called out to me with epic grandeur. I knew the tall peaks by name: the South Teton, the Middle Teton, the Grand Teton, Teewinot Mountain. The Grand Teton came out of the clouds--the highest peak in the range--and my camera hand was ready.

Jake and I met the mountains, riding with extreme excitement, and then turned south, riding with the Teton Range to our right. We rode south, toward the town of Jackson, with the promise of a Rest Day. With my camera in my right hand, I took photo after photo. The riding was fast and my cup of joy ranneth over. We stopped here and there for more photos. Because our position kept changing, our view of the Range continued to change as well.

The Teton Range is many miles long, plenty of room for different weather conditions. Some peaks were shrouded with clouds and rain. Some peaks cast off the bright blasting light of the sun. The clouds shifted, expanding and billowing like clean smoke. And the cars flew past, motoring on down the road; some stopped, but most kept going.

We stopped at the spot where Ansel Adams took his famous photo, The Tetons and the Snake River. It was afternoon, not the best time to photograph the mountains, but I knew it was impossible to resist standing where Ansel stood and taking a few photos.